A bitter Chris Matthews on Monday compared Republican efforts with voter ID laws to apartheid in South Africa. Talking to civil rights leader Wade Henderson, Matthews introduced his sneering comparison: "It does look like it's almost like South Africa to this extent: You have a white... feeble minority. It's losing its majority status."

He continued, "And it says, the Republican Party, we can only get so many white votes. So we got to reduce the votes of others. It does look that way." After Mr. Henderson didn't jump in to agree, Matthews justified, "Maybe you're non-partisan, but only Republicans have pushed this in these 31 states. No Democratic legislature. You gotta look at the pattern here." [UPDATED with video below. MP3 audio here.]

Eager to move onto other topics, Henderson diverted, "Look, you've stated a point. In fact, can't challenge that. I think, though, that the President did something that was really important."

In fact, Matthews is wrong. Liberal Rhode Island with a Democratic legislature and liberal governor passed voter ID in 2011. But when have facts ever bothered the MSNBC anchor?

A transcript of the July 29 Hardball exchange follows:

5:40

CHRIS MATTHEWS: You know, I don't want to enlarge this beyond what it seems to be, Mr. Henderson. But you're involved in fighting for minorities.

WADE HENDERSON (Leadership Conference on Civil Rights): That's right.

MATTHEWS: And you're a leader. It does look like it's almost like South Africa to this extent: You have a white– what's the word – feeble minority. It's losing its majority status. And it says, the Republican Party, "we can only get so many white votes. So, we got to reduce the votes of others." It does look that way. Only the– Maybe you're non-partisan, but only Republicans have pushed this in these 31 states. No Democratic legislature. You gotta look at the pattern here. You talk about profiling. I'm sorry, Republicans do this stuff.

HENDERSON: Look, you've stated a point. In fact, can't challenge that. I think, though, that the President did something that was really important...